Alpha Industries MA-1 Bomber Flight Jacket - Fighter Pilot Flight Jacket

I live in Phoenix, AZ and have been needing a riding jacket for early morning commutes to school. I ride 26 miles to school everyday at about 80 mph in 40-50 degree weather. This jacket is perfect for the weather and I couldn't be happier. FIT: Like other reviewers have said, average sized people will need to order one size above their normal jacket/shirt size. I am 5'8" 180 pounds and wear a medium jacket and shirt. I ordered a large and it fit perfect. Keep in mind that this style of jacket is designed to sit high on the waist as the picture shows. It is best suited in the sitting position, hence the name Bomber Flight Jacket- made for pilots sitting in a cockpit. COMFORT: As mentioned on the Alpha Industries website and from personal experience, this jacket does best in 20-50 degree weather. The first day of wearing it I took it out for a ride on a 60 degree day and found it felt perfect at freeway speeds. Once I stopped to walk around, though, it was a tad bit too warm and I felt myself wanting to take it off. This jacket is more of a fall through spring warming layer depending on where you live. FINISH: This is probably the best jacket I have owned. It is made of high quality, durable materials and feels like it was made to withstand military use. Go figure. It is thicker than expected which was pleasing. The outer (darker) side is made of a thickly woven, almost rubbery feeling nylon that causes water to bead off in light rain. The inner (orange) side is a bit lighter in texture. The outer pockets are great for storing keys, a wallet or cellphone, but the inner pockets seem to be angled too far forward for storing anything of value. The arm pocket is perfect for cigarettes (if you're a smoker) or keeping a comb and registration, as I do. Lastly, the zippers are made of HEAVY brass and seem very durable. For the price, this jacket is a great deal. CONS: The inside pockets are not angled upwards enough. I put my cellphone in one and when bending over it slipped past the snap-fastener and fell out. No biggie, though, just don't store anything in them that is too small to slip past the snap-fastener. For those who are considering using the inside pockets for concealed carrying a pistol, I would recommend against it. With the angle of the pockets and their small size it makes concealing anything larger than a Glock 26 quite difficult in my opinion. Read more

Sizing of these jackets is a little confusing so hopefully this review helps. For reference I am: 170#, 5'11" with a 40" chest and wear a medium in almost all jackets and shirts. The blue jacket pictured is the Alpha Industries Core Fit in Replica Blue size small. Also included in this review for comparison, is a sage green slim fit Alpha Industries MA-1 purchased about 2 years ago in size large. I'm happy with both jackets and love wearing them. They are comfortable for all day wear and I get compliments from random strangers regularly. They look great with jeans, a simple tee and Redwing boots. SIMILARITIES: *Hardware feels sturdy and appears to be identical between the two jackets. *The cut, measurements and fit appear to be the same. *Stitching is good on both but, I almost returned the Replica Blue jacket because the right sleeve is slightly shorter than the left. After wearing it around the house for a couple hours with the tags on, it started to relax. DIFFERENCES: *The nylon used in the Replica Blue jacket feels a bit more stiff than the older Sage Green jacket. *I wore both of them outside this morning on a 40-degree day for about 20 minutes with just a tee shirt. The Replica Blue jacket was perfectly comfortable. The Sage Green jacket was acceptable but a lightweight flannel shirt as a mid-layer would have been welcome. SPECIAL NOTE: For anyone wondering how the Replica Blue differs from the older jackets sold as Navy (?), I included a side by side photo of the Replica Blue laying next to an older MA-1 that is about 10 years old. The darker jacket is Replica Blue. During the day it looks like a true navy but at night it almost looks black. It's a great color. I hope this review helps someone and I highly recommend this jacket. Read more

These are the best quality flight jackets on the market. No, I do not have any affiliation with Alpha Industries. Bought 5 colors for myself and all my kids have them. Retired Pilot from the Airlines and purchased numerous flight jackets over the years and although a little pricey they are well worth the cost. Have been wearing them for 10+ years. Read more

I've decided to update my review, primarily because I have now purchased three of these jackets, and I absolutely love them. First of all, the jackets have a super clean look, and they fit great. I often use one when I ride on my motorcycle, as it provides both wind and cold protection. In addition to heavy-duty zippers, Alpha Industries has gone as far as placing pen tip protectors in the arm pocket. If you look closely at the stitching, it is also clear that they wanted the jackets to last and give you years of use. I've just purchased my second green version, and while I didn't think I'd like it, I now actually like it more than my black one. It's a rare occasion when you can find something that right from the start, it's a perfect item, but these jackets are fantastic. The look, fit, quality, and design are more than one could ask for, and you will NOT go wrong with these jackets! Even if you buy just one, you won't be sorry...unless they run out of stock! Read more

My boyfriend really enjoyed his gift so much so he wore it the same night he got it. It fits perfect and functions great to give that good look while being comfortable and warm. He’s had it for 3 years and it still looks like he just got it (yes he wears it regularly) Read more